Infrastructure protection

UN: Next world war may be in cyberspace
Countries have become critically dependent on technology for commerce, finance, health care, emergency services, and food distribution; “Loss of vital networks would quickly cripple any nation, and none is immune to cyberattack,” expert says
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Large new dam construction moving ahead in California
Environmental studies are due out today on a $409 million project to replace Calaveras Dam, a 210-foot-high structure east of Milpitas in the remote, oak-studded hills along the border between Santa Clara and Alameda counties
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Negligence a factor in hydropower plant disaster that killed 75
The massive 17 August accident in Russia’s biggest hydroelectric power plant was the result of negligence by officials; these officials may now face charges over the disaster
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Indonesian experts: Dense soil, light materials vital for sturdier buildings
In the wake of last Wednesday’s devastating earthquake in Indonesia, experts call for more care in choosing sites for new buildings and communities; key factor: the stability of the soil; “If you build the foundation 20 to 30 meters deep, then you need very dense soil,” an expert said
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Is California's Big One coming?
In 1992 and in 2004, remote earthquakes caused changes to the San Andreas fault; in both cases, there were distinct changes in the movement of fluids and an increase in the frequency of micro-earthquakes deep within the fault below Parkfield; what will be the effect on the fault of the recent Sumatra earthquake?
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Raytheon delivers mobile radiation detection system
Raytheon delivers advanced SUV-based radiation detection system to Florida’s Department of Transportation
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Experts offer insights on current security issues
Attendees at the ASIS annual event were offered the latest insights into the latest thinking on a range of security issues, from protecting the hospitality industry to protecting house of worship, and much more
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Earthquake-resistant building structure developed
The system dissipates energy through the movement of steel frames that are situated around the building’s core or along exterior walls; the frames rock off their foundation under large earthquakes
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Corps asked to scrap floodgate plans in Belle Chasse, Louisiana
There is a debate in Louisiana about the best way to protect homes in the Jesuit Bend area: the Army Corps of Engineers wants to build a floodgate — but this would leave some 1,400 homes unprotected; residents prefer an 8-mile levee
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NRC moves to allow more heavily armed nuclear facility guards
The U.S. Nuclear regulatory Commission (NRC) has moved to allow guards at U.S. nuclear facilities to be equipped with more “enhanced weapons,” including machine guns, short-barreled shotguns, or short-barreled rifles
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Threat: short-circuiting the U.S. power grid
Researchers have worked out how attackers could cause a cascade of network failures in the U.S.’s west-coast electricity grid — cutting power to economic powerhouses Silicon Valley and Hollywood
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APMR checks stability of dikes
A Dutch company develops an instrument that can “look” into the ground and measure the amount of water in the soil under a dike, which is important when checking the stability of dams and dikes
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Using lasers in nuclear decommissioning
High-power lasers could remove contaminated surfaces of concrete and cut up metal pipework and process vessels inside nuclear reactors, or other contaminated environments
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Gravity tractor to steer asteroids away from Earth
There are thousands of asteroids in close proximity to Earth, and scientists believe it is inevitable that sooner or later an asteroid will come close enough to be a real threat; British aerospace company designs a gravity tractor to steer a menacing asteroids away
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Using waste to recover waste uranium
Researchers find that a combination of bacteria and inositol phosphate can be used to recover uranium from the polluted waters from uranium mines; method may be used to process nuclear waste
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